MUNSTERS X 4. CAN YOU DIG IT?

This is a good exercise in contrasting and comparing. The Munsters theme, in four versions. All are different, from surf to jazz organ, and you might be surprised by which version you end up liking the most. The original un-aired pilot for the TV show is down there too. Some of the actors are different and you'll note that it's in color. The resulting TV show was done in black and white. Go figure.

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Listen:
Billy Strange - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Jimmy Smith - Theme From the Munsters mp3 at De Discos y Monstruos
Los Straightjackets - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Jason Sheeley
Jack Marshall -The Munsters Theme mp3 at Sudden Link (?)

BEATLES VS STONES PREP

You knew it was coming. It's nearing Halloween, of course the Munsters theme is going to get posted. If you're not familiar with The Munsters, it was a sixties TV sitcom, ostensively about a family of monsters, but they were harmless, just a goofy family who consisting of a Frankenstein type patriarch and his wife, their werewolf son, a vampire grandfather, and a niece Marilyn, the token non-freak. Whether intended or not, it served as a commentary on how "normal" people see people who look different and have odd interests but are otherwise harmless. It was a good show, and it's still a hoot, provided you aren't too sophisticated. There's a documentary about the series linked below, and tons of clips on YouTube if you need more. The theme from The Munsters kicks the ghouls ass so you need at least one version for your Halloween mix.

There was another similar show that aired on a competing network back then, The Addams Family, about another horror character type family. Just as the older kids had their Beatles/Stones divide, young creeps usually had a preference for either The Munsters or The Addams Family, rarely were they tied. So here's equal time. Not the Addams Family theme, because it's rather lame, and the Munsters have a lock on that category anyway. But if you're familiar with The Addams Family, you'll find it funny. It's "The Lurch" by Ted Cassidy, who played the character Lurch in the series. He was the family butler and the most menacing character, though that's not saying much. Regardless, the song is a crack up.

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Listen:
Billy Strange - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Jimmy Smith - Theme From the Munsters mp3 at De Discos y Monstruos
Los Straightjackets - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Jason Sheeley
Jack Marshall -The Munsters Theme mp3 at Sudden Link (?)
Ted Cassidy - The Lurch mp3 at Franxman
Watch:
The Munsters Documentary at YouTube
Mad About the Addams Family - Mini-documentary at YouTube

THE FIRST FAMILY

You knew it was coming. Here's a few versions of the Munsters theme song and the unaired pilot for the TV series. The theme song could be seen as a litmus test for any instrumental outfit. Leading off with Billy Strange, followed by Jimmy Smith, two very different versions, both very badass and no brainer Halloween mix meat. The version by Los Straightjackets is your token semi-recent version and Jack Marxhall's version is a good example of a period cash-in that didn't really do much with it, but probably sold nonetheless due to the popularity of the show,

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Listen:
Billy Strange - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Jimmy Smith - Theme From the Munsters mp3 at De Discos y Monstruos
Los Straightjackets - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Jason Sheeley
Jack Marshall -The Munsters Theme mp3 at Sudden Link (?)

ATTN: PARTY PLANNING COMMITTEE

It's that time again. Time for all of the Halloween crap to come out of mothballs. Let's get this party started with a few covers of the Munsters theme, starting with the most badass Billy Strange, a former member of the Wrecking Crew. Then there's the swingin' take by Jimmy Smith. By the middle of his version, you'll forget what song you're listening too. There;'s so much crazy-man-crazy packed into three and a half minutes, you'll swear it's an LP side. Not to worry, los Straighjackets will return you to your safe harbor of nutty covers.

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Listen:
Billy Strange - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Jimmy Smith - Theme From the Munsters mp3 at De Discos y Monstruos
Los Straightjackets - The Munsters Theme mp3 at WYMX

STOP WITH THE SHITTY COSTUMES

It's that time again.  Halloween's right around the corner, and there are a number of ways to prep for it. If you're going to a Halloween party, you're probably trying to figure out what your costume is going to be.  Gals, you may be tempted to wear something slightly sluttier than you ordinarily would. You know what I'm talking about, the sexy nurse, sexy maid, that sorta shit. Trust me, it's been done. Don't be a tool. And you guys, as easy as it is, a flannel shirt and a cowboy hat does not constitute a costume. Why don't you just drink like a fish, and walk around like you've got a load in your pants.  If anyone asks, "Bukowski". This comes from a guy who hasn't dressed up for years, but even for a me, there's a few reasons to like Halloween.  It's the time of year that there's skull and crossbones chotchkies everywhere. Cool. Another thing is that, on the day after Halloween, bags of candy get marked down. Even if you don't want cavities on the cheap, Halloween presents an excellent opportunity to just dig on all of the thematic music that seems to pop up. And there's no better song to kick that off with than the Munsters theme. Personally, I dig the Billy Strange version, because the horns in it sound like a drunk mariachi band, but Los Straightjackets do a respectable version too.  Oh, and the video below is the never aired Munsters pilot, with a different Lily and Eddie, for those of you who don't have anything better to do than sit in front of a computer and watch a never aired pilot of The Munsters.

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Listen:
Billy Strange - The Munsters Theme mp3 at Beware of the Blog
Los Straightjackets - The Munsters Theme mp3 at WYMX

GOON CHORDS

To kick off the summer, here's a mix of surf instrumentals, oddballs and a couple of semi-related songs with vocals. First off, you have to begin with the man, Dick Dale, because he's the first to come to mind, and he's practically the template. From there, it gets a little mixed. There's a few second tier bands (the Lively Ones, Aki Aleong), a couple spaghetti western covers (Banzai Surf and the Ventures), session players (Al Casey, Sandy Nelson), a Martin Denny cover (the Astronauts' "Quiet Village"), an English band (the Shadows), a Japanese guitar player playing Beethoven (Takeshi Teruchi), contemporary bands (Los Sttraightjackets, Banzi Surf, Django Twango, the Surf Coasters), an unusual cover of "Pipeline" (the Incredible Bongo Band), a vocal number by the Sunrays (who were managed by Murray Wilson, after his sons were done with him), a Brian Wilson produced girl group (Spring, featuring his wife Marilyn and her sister), and the last song (in this house, unremarkable), by the 101'er's, Joe Strummer's pre-Clash band, (surf only in title, and vocals). Wax'em up.

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Listen:
Dick Dale - The Victor mp3 at Django Twango
The Lively Ones - Surf Rider mp3 at The California Girls
Aki Aleong & the Nobels - Panic mp3 at Probe Is Turning-On the People
The Astronauts - Baja mp3 at Django Twango
Sandy Nelson - Casbah mp3 at Django Twango
The Shadows - Perifida mp3 at Django Twango
Los Straightjackets - Tailspin mp3 at Django Twango
Django Tango - Goldfinger mp3 at Django Twango
The Surf Coasters - Miserlou mp3 at Django Twango
Banzai Surf - For A Few Dollars More mp3 at Django Twango
The Ventures - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly mp3 at Django Twango
The Astronauts - Quiet Village mp3 at Goof Spot
The Chantays - Pipeline mp3 at Rocky-52.net
Incredible Bongo Band - Pipeline mp3 at Paradise Soul
Takeshi Terauchi - Theme from Beethoven's Fifth mp3 at Beware of the Blog
The Sunrays - I Live For the Sun mp3 at Pretty Goes With Pretty
Spring - Down Home mp3 at Obscure Sound
The 101'ers - Surf City mp3 at Math.Uni.Edu